Be prepared for the upcoming round of funding…

The second round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Funding (FETF) is due to open later this month. It offers grants for specific items of equipment to increase productivity, boost environmental sustainability and improve animal health and welfare. Find below a list of the machines distributed by OPICO Ltd that we believe are eligible.

*N.B. FETF 2023 is administered by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Full details

Eligible item: FarmDroid

FETF218P: Robotic drill and guided cultivator

Autonomous robotic vehicle which can drill and mechanically weed (cultivator). The device must be able to precisely place seed in the ground. It must also be able to mechanically weed between the drilled rows but also weed between the plants in the row. To be eligible the robot must be able to operate completely autonomously in the field without the need for an operator to carry out any function apart from refilling the seed hopper. To be eligible the robot must be able to both drill and mechanically cultivate/weed.

Eligible item: OPICO Sward Lifter

FETF112: Grassland sward lifters

To be eligible, must have a minimum of 3 legs with adjustable depth control (at least to 300mm) via the legs or packing rollers. Machine must have cutting disc in front of, and a packing roller behind, each leg, shear bolt or mechanical reset on each leg.

Eligible items: OPICO Camera-guided Inter-row cultivators

FETF5, FETF6, FETF7: Inter row hoe 1.8m - 6m

A system using precision camera guided cultivators to remove weeds from between crop rows. Designed to be used at relatively high speed and to be able to automatically distinguish between the crop and weeds. Camera system can detect position of crop rows and automatically adjust the cultivators to only remove the weeds between the crop rows.

Eligible items: OPICO Air Seeders (400L)

FETF207P: Air drill for establishing cover crops

A small pneumatic (air) drill for seeding cover crops designed to be mounted on existing drills or soil tillage equipment. To be eligible the air drill must have electronic metering, capable of drilling a range of small cover crop seeds. Seed placement will be via either pipes, coulters or spreader plates with a minimum drilling width of 3m and have a minimum seed hopper capacity of 300 litres.

Eligible items: Sky EasyDrill (3m - 8m)

FETF206P: Direct drill with fertiliser placement

Direct drill with fertiliser placement for precision drilling of arable and cover crops, using either tines or discs to produce the seeding slot.

To be eligible the drill must place the fertiliser adjacent (below or to the side) to the seed in the seeding slot. The drill must have a minimum drilling width of 2.9m. With the exception of the fertiliser placement mechanism, the drill must have no cultivation or seed bed preparation equipment in front of the seeding slot mechanism and the seed must be placed in the seeding slot.

The drill must be able to drill through a fully established growing cover crop of at least 15cm in height. The item purchased must include seed and fertiliser hoppers. The drill must be able to drill the full range of arable and cover crops including cereals.

The following are not eligible: cultivators with over-seeders or broadcasters, minimum till drills, strip till drills, grassland over-seeders, and grassland broadcasters. Drills which broadcast the fertiliser on the surface rather than place the fertiliser in the soil adjacent to the seed are not eligible.

Eligible items: Maschio Flail Mowers 1.6m to 2.3m: Barbi, Brava, Bella, Tigre, Bisonte, Giraffa XL & XXL

FETF200P: Tractor mounted flail mulcher for orchards and vineyards (large)

Tractor mounted PTO driven flail mulcher for mowing between rows of trees or vines in woodland, orchards or vineyards. The machine must be able to shred branches up to 6cm in diameter into woodchips. To be eligible, the machine must have a minimum working width of 1.60m and a maximum working width not exceeding 2.30m. Machines with working widths over 2.30m are not eligible under this item.

Eligible items: HE-VA Top Cutter Solo

FETF110, FETF111: Cover crop roller 3m & 6m

Tractor mounted roller system to terminate and/or bruise cover crops ahead of direct drill. Minimum of 6m width. To be eligible the roller should be constructed to have an uneven or ridged surface to aid the crimping or bruising of the cover crop to destroy it. The roller must completely crimp or bruise the crop across the full working width of the roller. Flat rolls and ring rolls are not eligible under this item.

Eligible items: HE-VA Grassland Stealth

FETF112: Grassland sward lifters

To be eligible, must have a minimum of 3 legs with adjustable depth control (at least to 300mm) via the legs or packing rollers. Machine must have cutting disc in front of, and a packing roller behind, each leg, shear bolt or mechanical reset on each leg.

Eligible items: HE-VA Multi-Seeder

FETF207P: Air drill for establishing cover crops

A small pneumatic (air) drill for seeding cover crops designed to be mounted on existing drills or soil tillage equipment. To be eligible the air drill must have electronic metering, capable of drilling a range of small cover crop seeds. Seed placement will be via either pipes, coulters or spreader plates with a minimum drilling width of 3m and have a minimum seed hopper capacity of 300 litres.